An experiment was conducted in randomized block design with three replications (kharif, 2023) to assess the combining ability and nature of gene action of the parents and crosses in the expression of fruit yield and its components for twelve characters in ridge gourd [Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.]. The material for the present study involved seven diverse parents and their twenty-one resultant hybrids derived from half diallel mating and one standard check (GJRGH 1), which were grown and evaluated at Horticultural Instructional Farm, S.D.A.U, Sardarkrushinagar. The objectives of this study were to investigate combining ability and gene action for different characters under study. The observations were recorded for days to first male flower, days to first female flower, primary branches per plant, node number of first male flower, node number of first female flower, days to first picking, main vine length (m), fruit weight (g), fruit length (cm), fruit girth (cm), fruits per plant and fruit yield per plant (kg). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) for combining ability revealed that GCA and SCA mean sum of square were significant for all of the traits indicating that both additive and non-additive gene actions were involved in the inheritance of these traits. However, for primary branches per plant and node number of first male flower non-significant GCA mean square values and for fruit yield per plant non-significant SCA mean square values were noted. The σ2gca/σ2sca ratio was less than unity, indicating that the σ2sca was greater than the σ2gca for all characters except fruit yield per plant, suggesting a preponderance of non-additive gene action for these characters. GRG-2 and JDNRG-19 were the two parents with a substantial gca effect for fruit output per plant, according to the results of general combining ability effects. There was no discernible pattern in the sca consequences for the parent’s gca. Any combination of the parent’s Good × Good, Average × Good, Poor × Good, Average × Average, Average × Poor, and Poor × Poor was included in the crosses with the desired sca result. An examination of every cross that showed notable sca effects revealed that these crosses also included average and low combiner parents, demonstrating the presence of favorable interallelic interactions for the characters. For the majority of the qualities, a positive correlation was found between per se performance, gca impacts of parents, and sca effects of hybrids. Therefore, in addition to the effects of general combining ability, the parent’s performance alone could be taken into consideration when choosing which parents to include in the breeding program

Ridge gourd, analysis of variance (ANOVA), combining ability, gene action, gca, sca

In the present investigation of analysis of variance, it was observed that the differences due to various genotypes were highly significant for all the characters under study except for the primary branches per plant and fruit yield per plant. Highly significant differences were observed among parents for all the characters except primary branches per plant, node number of first male flower, fruit girth, fruits per plant and fruit yield per plant. This indicated the existence of considerable variability in experimental material. Analysis of variance for combining ability revealed that GCA and SCA mean sum of square was significant for most of the traits indicating that both additive and non- additive gene actions were involved in the inheritance of these traits. However, for fruit yield per plant, non-significant SCA mean square values was observed. The σ2sca was higher than σ2gca for all characters except for fruit yield per plant denoting a preponderance of non-additive gene action for these characters and this was confirmed by the σ2gca/ σ2sca ratio which was less than unity. General combining ability effects revealed that the two parents possessing significant gca effect for fruit yield per plant were GRG-2 and JDNRG-19. Along with fruit yield, GRG-2 was found to be good general combiner for fruits per plant, node number of first female flower, main vine length and fruit length. Parent JDNRG-19 was good general combiner for days to first female flower, days to first male flower, vine length, fruit girth and days to marketable maturity. In general, the parents which gave the best per se performance were also the best general combiners indicating a positive association between the two parameters. These findings showed that, in addition to the effects of general combining ability, parents' individual performance may be taken into account when choosing which parents to include in a breeding program. There was not a clear trend in the sca implications for the parents' gca. All types of combinations of the parents, including Good × Good, Average × Good, Poor × Good, Average × Average, Average × Poor, Poor × Poor were included in the crosses with desirable sca effects. Because of their significant gca impact and good per se performance for numerous yield-attributing and earliness traits, genotypes GRG-2 and JDNRG-19 can be recommended for utilization as one of the parents to produce high yielding and better-quality hybrids as well as in varietal development programs

H.H. Maru, P.J. Patel, Surabhi S. Chauhan and Manish Sharma (2025). Analysis of Combining Ability and Gene Action in Ridge Gourd [Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.]. Biological Forum, 17(8): 15-23